Apparatus for spraying or atomizing moldable compositions



A. HALTMEIER Jan. 2, 1962 APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING OR ATOMIZING MOLDABLE COMPOSITIONS Filed April 14, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ALF PE D HALTME/ER A TTORNEYS Jan. 1962 A. HALTMEIER 3,015,450

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING OR ATOMIZING MOLDABLE COMPOSITIONS Filed April 14, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 2 XXXXXXXX\ XXXX INVENTOR. ALFRED HALTME/ER dariz v A TTORNEYS A. HALTMEIER Jan. 2, 1962 APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING OR ATOMIZING MOLDABLE COMPOSITIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 14, 1959 INVENTOR, ALF RED HAL TME/ER BY M v A r TORNEYS United States Patent iv 3,015,450 APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING R ATOMIZING MOLDABLE COMPOSITIONS 1 Alfred Haltmeier, Leverlrusen, Germany, assignor to Farbenfabriken Bayer Aktiengesellschaft, Leverkusen, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Apr. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 806,241 Claims priority, application Germany May 21, 1958, 1 Claim. (Cl. 239421) Moldable compositions, for example pastes of moist dyes, chemicals or salts, such as are formed by dehydrafion on filters or centrifuges, can be atomized or sprayed if they are brought into hollow cylindrical forms between cylindrical walls under the pressure of an extrusion press and if they are conducted in this form over a coaxial annular slot from which a gaseous or vapourous agent causing the atomization or spraying action discharges at high velocity.

It has been shown that the forward movement of the moldable compositions between the cylindrical walls is not uniform at all points, so that the subsequent spraying at the circumference of the annular spraying slot leads to a non-uniform dispersion.

It has now been found that this defect can be overcome if the composition, to be brought to a hollow cylindrical form and sprayed is set in rotation about its cylinder axis and while rotating, is conveyed over the coaxial annular slot from which the gaseous spraying agent discharges.

It has also been found with many compositions that it is suthcient if the outer of the two cylindrical walls, enclosing the composition to be sprayed is set in rotation about the cylinder axis. In many cases, the atomizationor spraying can be made even more uniform if the inner of the two cylindrical walls, for shaping the composition which is to be sprayed, is also set in rotation. It is advisable in such a case for these coaxial cylindrical walls to be moved about their common axis in the same direction but at different angular velocities.

With regard to the apparatus for carrying out the process of the present invention, the outer cylindrical wall, for shaping or molding the spraying composition, is mounted to rotate about its axis and for this purpose is provided with a drive means. If required, the inner cylindrical wall, around which the composition to be sprayed is formed, is also mounted to rotate about its axis and, for this purpose, is provided with a drive means.

Constructional forms of the apparatus for use in the present invention are shown by way of example in FIGS. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. In said drawings- FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-section of an embodiment of the apparatus for spraying moldable composition according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-section through line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section of a portion of an embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, showing mounting of the displacement means for rotation;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section of a further embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, depicting an arrangement for rotating the displacement means;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section of a portion of an apparatus in accordance with the invention, showing a drive means for the displacement member; and

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-section through line 66 of FIG. 5.

In the embodiment of an apparatus for atomizing or spraying moldable compositions, shown in FIG. 1, only the outer of the two cylindrical walls, containing between them the composition brought to hollow cylindrical form,

is provided with a drive means and mounted for rotation about its axis. v

In FIG. 1, the reference 1 represents the extrusion press which is constructed as a double-worm press and which produces the pressure necessary for forming or shaping the composition. In FIG. 11 only one of the two worm spindles can be seen, while both worm spindles are shown in FIG. 2, which is a cross-section through the nozzle immediately below the press. Fixed to the lower end face 2 of the extrusion press 1 is the mushroom-shaped displacement member 3, the latter being fixed by means of the webs 4 and the headed screw 5. The mushroom-shaped displacement member 3 provides the inner cylindrical wall for molding the composition which is to be sprayed, into hollow cylindrical form. The outer cylindrical wall is formed by the nozzle 6, which is mounted according to the invention so as to be rotatable about its axis, for example by means of the radical bearing 7 and the step bearing 8. The drive means causing the rotation of the cylindrical outer wall is provided by the rim gear 9 and the pinion 10. The latter is mounted in the support member 11, which provides the connection between the press 1 and the upper plate 12 of some form of spray drier or cooler. The gaseous medium, for example steam or compressed air, necessary for spraying purposes is supplied through the supply pipe 13 to the nozzle ante-chamber 14 and from thence into the annular slot 15, from which it discharges at high velocity and thereby atomises the moldable composition, which has been brought to hollow cylindrical form by the two circular walls of the members 3 and 6 and which has been fed from above over the annular slot 15. Since the nozzle 6 rotates about a mean vertical axis, as indicated above, the composition brought to hollow cylindrical form is carried with a rotational movement over the annular gap 15, whereby the desired uniformity of the spraying is obtained.

In FIG. 3, the displacement member 3 is also mounted to rotate about a central axis. When the nozzle 6 rotates, the displacement member 3 is also entrained by the compressed composition or by connecting webs 16 which may be provided. When the connecting webs 16 are used, the radial bearing 7 may be omitted. In FIG. 4, the mushroom-shaped displacement member 3 is fixed by means of the webs 4 to the hollow cylinder 17, which is mounted by means of the radial bearing 18 and the step bearing 19 so as to rotate about its axis and it is set in rotation by the rim gear 20 by means of the pinion 21.

FIG. 5 shows a drive means for the displacement member 3, this drive being derived from the two worm spindles of the double-worm press 1. Fitted on to the two ends of the worm spindles 22 and 23 rotating in the same direction are the two gear wheels 24 and 25, which roll in the box-shaped displacement member 3 provided with internal teeth 26 and causes the latter to rotate about a mean vertical axis.

The cover 27 is connected by a screw thread to the cylindrical partof the displacement member 3, and is supported by the bearing plate 28. This has two bores serving both as bearings and also for the passage of the ends of the worm spindles 22 and 23, and is formed on its outer circular periphery with a circular shoulder on which the cover 27 slides. The bearing plate 28 rests in its turn on two supporting washers 29 and 30 which are forced by the two pinions 24 and 25, and the washers 31 and 32, by means of the headed screws 33 and 34 against the shoulders 35 and 36 at the ends of the worm spindles 22 and 23 and are thereby secured. The bearing plate 28 has two downwardly extending webs 37 and 38 which carry the circular plate 39. Screwed into the latter is the central pin 40 containing the collar 41. The bottom end of the box-shaped displacement member 3 has a central bore 42 surrounding the collar 41. The central pin 40 Carries the nozzle ante-chamber 14, the upper rim of which is opposite and spaced slightly from the bottom of the member 3 and forms therewith the annular gap 15 from wh thes s q s me m aus e a mis tiq is d s: charged at high'velo'city. J '7 FIG. 6 is a section through the rim gear and the pinions.

I claims An apparatus for spraying or atomizing moldable com positions comprising rueans'tor passing molded material 10 tinder pressure in hollow cylindrical form through a first annular slot, said'first annular slot including means defining an inner edge and an outer edge, means for passing 4 a gas radially and outwardly from a second annular slot concentrically positioned adjacent the inner edge of the meansdefin'ing the first annular slot, said means defining the inner and outer edges of the first annular slot being mounted for rotation in the same direction at different velocities.

References Cited in the tile. of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

